Joseph Braswell, an automotive instructor in Wayne Community College’s General Motors Automotive Service Education Program, has achieved World Class Technician status with General Motors.
The World Class Technician program at GM gives technicians the opportunity to validate their knowledge and demonstrate their skills to their employers. WCT status is the highest level of achievement a GM automotive technician can earn.
The status is achieved after completing a rigorous set of GM Master Technician and Automotive Service Excellence certifications. The certifications must be maintained annually through training.
“World Class status is not a requirement for a technician or an instructor. It takes a lot of desire and effort to complete all the required training,” said WCC Transportation Department Chair Kevin Jordan.
Braswell joins his colleague WCC GM Automotive Service Education Program Coordinator David Byrd in the elite status. Byrd achieved it in 2015.
“Achieving World Class Technician status was a career goal for Mr. Braswell and Mr. Byrd,” said Jordan.
“Wayne Community College is very fortunate to have two World Class instructors heading up the GM ASEP program. We are one of only a few colleges in the southeastern United States and the only college in North Carolina whose entire GM ASEP faculty is World Class certified.”
Technicians who achieve WCT status receive a gift package that includes an award statue, toolbox medallion, patch, certificate, letter of recognition, and jacket.
Jim Cuccurello, Service Development Manager for GM, and John Bartnick, Regional Training Manager for GM, traveled to WCC’s campus to personally congratulate Braswell and present him his jacket.
Braswell said his drive and motivation to earn the status came from his students.
“Becoming world class certified gives me the opportunity to validate to GM ASEP students that I have the ability and experience necessary to provide the best training possible,” he said.
“I hope to set a good example for all GM ASEP students in the program, and obtaining GM World Class Technician status helps me accomplish this goal.”
Jordan agrees.
“These instructors set an example to the students on what you can achieve if you put your mind to it,” he said.
About WCC
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. The college works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce. It serves 10,000 individuals annually in addition to businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 240 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.